Legend of the Keepers: Wolf Rider
by ForestWarrior
Summary: Titles will never define who you are. Loyalties will. Dive into one of the greatest legends of the Keepers. The Keepers are the guardians of the immense forest spread across the region of Walski-Tri. Protectors of the life that dwells within, they stand guard against all evil that threatens destruction.
1. Prologue

The large wooden sword sailed in an angry arc only to be stopped as another sword broke its trajectory. Noelle breathed heavily and blew a stray hair out of her face. Her body glistened with sweat and her muscles quaked as she stared down at her opponent. Her opponent held steady and her face showed no signs of yielding although a drop of sweat rolled down her forehead.

"You are getting better," Noelle's sparring partner said. Noelle's face brightened, "but you are forgetting to harmonize your mind." The older woman whipped her left leg across the back of the younger's causing her to collapse. Noelle hit the bare dirt with a grunt and dropped her sword. The elder sprang up and held the wood sword to the Noelle's neck. After a moment, the elder smiled and offered her hand to her young student. Across the clearing, a professor and her apprentice stood watching the pair.

"Professor," the apprentice asked, "why are we here?"

The professor looked at her pupil with a small smile. "You'll see soon Darsha."

Darsha rolled her eyes. She hated it when her teacher hid things from her. Most of the time her reasons were valid, but Sarah also liked to play games with Darsha. The pair refocused their attention as the other women approached them. Darsha inclined her head toward the elder woman in respect.

"My lady."

The woman reciprocated Darsha's gesture, "Hello Darsha, are you ready?"

Confused, Darsha glanced toward her professor. Sarah chuckled, "Suprise, we're sparring today."

"Oh, you could have told me." Darsha said as she peered around the clearing looking for her usual sparring partner, "Where is James?"

The elder woman smiled, "You will be sparring with me today."

Sarah's apprentice gulped nervously.

The cool dusk descended on the towering trees of the forest. Dozens of lights shone from within each tree house casting a cozy glow on the surrounding foilage. James stood at the window peering into the glowing city. His eyes scanned the familiar bridges and buildings looking for his wife as she had yet to return home. She was late as it was considering what they had planned for tonight.

He broke his vigil as he heard footsteps on the porch. Ten-year-old Savannah sat reading a book in her favorite chair oblivious to the sounds James' ears picked up.

"Savannah, could you answer the door?" James asked as a loud knock reverberated off the door making Savannah jump.

"Sure thing Dad." Sarah replied enthusiastically again marveling how her father could hear things a normal Keeper couldn't hear. The door creaked open on weathered hinges, and Savannah let out a squeal at the sight of two of her favorite people, "Aunt Savi! Aunt Hope!"

"Hey, how's our girl?" Savi ruffled Savannah's hair and smiled broadly. Annoyed, Savannah batted Savi's hand away and straightened her hair. Behind Savi, Hope smirked at her friend's antics.

"What are you guys doing here?" Savannah asked.

Alarmed, Hope looked at James, "You haven't told her?"

James sighed and shook his head no as a guilty expression crossed his face.

"Jackie and I have been busy with the thing."

Confused, Savannah confronted her father, "Tell me what?"

"Do you remember our promise to tell you our story when you were old enough?"

Savannah's face lit up, "You mean-"

"Exactly darling," a woman commented from the doorway, "it's legend night."

"Mom!" Savannah greeted the woman with a hug. James also greeted her with a kiss and a concerned whisper.

"A little late Jackie." Jackie grimaced.

"Couldn't be helped."

"Hey Savannah, lets go get some snacks" Hope said leaning down to the ten-year-old as she watched her parents with interest. Savannah's eyes lit up at the promise of sweets. She ran in the kitchen with a chuckling Hope behind her. Savi glanced at Jackie and James and gave them a nod sensing their need to talk alone.

"What happened?" James asked sitting on the couch across from Savannah's chair. Jackie heaved a sigh and sank down next to her husband.

"I was being tailed after my session with Sarah's apprentice. Adenaline sensed them and we went the long way to shake them off our trail."

"You really shouldn't have dismissed your guards." James said with concern.

"I know but-"

"We're ready!" Savi exclaimed appearing with Savannah loaded down with snacks. Hope followed carrying plates. Jackie rolled her eyes.

"This is all silly. We don't have to be doing this just to hear one of the legends."

James scoffed, "Jackie, don't you remember your legend night?"

"Well yes, but I was young and naive and-" James cut her off.

"The kids only get to hear about them every ten years, and our legend night is special."

"Why is ours so special?" Savannah asked shoving chips into her mouth.

"Please don't talk with your mouth full darling," Jackie admonished, "Our legend night is special because the legend everyone will hear tonight is mine."

"Oh," Savannah's expression fell slightly, "but I've already heard your Mom."

"Yes, but I have only told you snippets. Tonight, you are going to hear the whole story." Jackie said with a nervous twinge in her mind.

"After tonight, you'll begin the first step of coming of age Savannah," Hope interjected, "plus, you get to hear the story from your own parents instead of a council member." Savannah nodded in understanding and pressed into her chair giving her mother her full attention. Jackie cleared her throat nervously and tapped her left leg.

"I will start from the very beginning."

 **This story is also on Wattpad. You are welcome to comment on there or on here. Please leave constructive criticism. I will not tolerate hateful comments. As this is also my first story, please leave a comment for improvements!**

 **This story has been rated mature to be safe.**


	2. 20 Years Ago

Jackie opened her eyes to blinding sunshine streaming in from her window and grunted. A wet tongue flicked her ear making her pull the covers over her head. She felt another flick followed by a small growl. The growl then sank its teeth into the covers and pulled them off her bed. The woosh of cool air made Jackie peer over her shoulder at her silver companion annoyed.

"Adenaline, what-"

Her clock glared at her from underneath Adenaline's massive paw.  
10:42 a.m.  
"Ah, no! I'm late for school!"

Flying out of bed, she sent freshly folded clothes flying as she grabbed her armor from the closet. Adenaline huffed as a pair of shorts landed on her snout. She nosed open the bedroom door and went down the hall matching the clock's ticking with her claws.  
Jackie grabbed her sword and bow from their place on the wall and stumbled into the kitchen while slipping her bow into her quiver. Shakisa stood disapprovingly by the front door holding a hot sandwich. Embarrassed by her lack of an excuse, Jackie kissed her mother's cheek, grabbed the sandwich, picked up her school bag from its place in the mud closet, and bounded out the door.

"I'm late, love you!"

Shakisa shook her head as she closed the door. "When is that girl going to grow up?"

"She's only fifteen," Rupert said reading his newspaper.

"This is the third time she's been late this month!"

"No one's perfect darling."

"She's of age! If she gets into trouble with the commander, you-"

"Will not bail her out." Rupert said sternly, laying down his newspaper, "Like you said, Jackie is of age. She needs to take responsibility for her mistakes. We can't protect her anymore."  
Shakisa paused in her dishwashing and sighed, "You're right. I just worry about _him_."  
Rupert rose from the table and put his arms around his wife. Nearby, a massive white wolf growled softly from his perch.  
"Darling, we haven't-" Rupert paused as he took note of the kitchen clock, "I must go or I'll be late as well." He planted a kiss on Shakisa's cheek and walked out the door. The white wolf stretched, leapt down from his perch, and followed Rupert out the door.

* * *

Jackie bounded across the bridge to the school as the third hour bell rang. She paused outside the front door catching her breath and wiping the sweat from her brow.

"Jackie!" A girl hissed from the left. Jackie and Adenaline looked to see Savi motioning to them.

"Jackie, come on!"

Adenaline licked Jackie's shoulder and bounded out of sight among the trees. Jackie ran to the window and climbed through the window into an unused classroom. Savi quickly shut the window and rounded on her friend,"Jackie, this is the third time this month you've been late for school!"  
"I know Savi, I've been busy," Jackie said sheepishly as Hope deposited books into Jackie's arms. The duo's pale ginger friend sighed and pushed the two towards the door.

"Come on, or we'll _all_ be late for class."

The trio hurried down the hall as the warning bell rang. They split into adjacent hallways. Jackie speedily walked down the health hall and had one foot inside the doorway to her class when she felt a hand on her shoulder.  
"Lieutenant Mandelove, a word please." Jackie shivered as the commander's voice rang with disapproval.  
"Yes Commander?"  
"I didn't see you at roll call this morning. This is the third time this month."  
"I'm sorry sir, it won't happen again." Jackie turned to enter the classroom, but the commander held her back.  
"No it won't happen again. Report to me at 0800 hours tomorrow morning."  
Jackie groaned internally. Tomorrow was her day off," Yes sir."  
The commander released her,"Good day Lieutenant."

"Alright, spill." Savi said as she and Hope sat opposite Jackie on the branch. They were at their customary lunch spot in the trees secluded from the general hub of students at the outdoor lunch tables. Adenaline lay above in a hollow in the tree's massive trunk gnawing on the remains of her meal. Jackie raised an eyebrow at Savi's comment.

"Spill what?"

"The reason why you've been late three times!" Savi exclaimed as she dug into her burrito. Hope nodded but gently added,"We've been worried. You're not usually late so often. The Wolf Riders are usually sticklers for consistency."  
Jackie hesitated but answered in a low voice,"I've been helping Doc with one of her projects." She waited as a mixture of expressions crossed her two friend's faces.

"Doc? The freaky doctor from the City?" Savi was the first to speak.

"No the doctor from the arctic. Of course Doc is the same doctor from the City!" Jackie exclaimed.

"She's mad." Hope said.

"No," Jackie admonished, " Doc isn't mad. She is just misunderstood. I-" The bell in the lunch yard rang signaling the end of lunch.

All three girls sighed, tucked their lunches away and emerged from the thicket of leaves covering their spot. Adenaline cracked the last bone of her meal in her jaw before jumping down from her hollow and following the trio inside. Adenaline's presence filled the large cafeteria making the younger students look up from their meals.

"We're not done discussing this." Savi said with a maternal air that made Jackie groan.

"Geesh Savi, you sound like my mother. Are you going to lecture me like her too?"

"Jackie, this is serious! Doc can't be trusted because-" Savi stopped as Jackie whirled to face her at her locker.

"Because what? Because she's from the City? Not everyone from that place is born bad Savi."

"You only know one person! How can you say that not everyone from the City is bad?"

"I don't know how I know, but I'm certain of this."

"That's no excuse!" Savi's face boiled with blood,"unless you've somehow been there and are a traitor-" Jackie's fist slammed into Savi's cheek throwing her against the lockers. The heated conversation had attratched stares from the other students. Hope gulped as she watched knowing intervention would be useless.

Jackie's eyes narrowed in anger. Adenaline growled as Savi rubbed her sore jaw.

"Don't you dare question people before you've gotten to know them Savi." Jackie hissed in a low voice. The hall darkened as she spoke. Chords of dark music thrummed from Jackie's body. A second later, she relaxed and the hall brightened to its normal hum of activity. Heaving a sigh, Jackie hefted her backpack on her shoulder.

"I need to pick up Sarah to take her to her afternoon training. I suggest that we take the rest of the day to ourselves." Jackie turned and walked down the hall to the first year common room. Adenaline hummed a note of concern at Hope who shook her head.

When the duo were out of sight, Hope retrieved an ice pack from her locker and pressed it to Savi's bruised cheek. Savi hissed but held the ice pack in place.  
"Why do you insist on aggravating her like that?" Hope asked in resignation.  
Savi peered down the hall where her volatile friend went. Regret clouded her eyes.  
"Her recklessness is going to cause trouble someday."


End file.
